Button holding and feeding attachment for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

H. H. CUMMINGS.

BUTTON HOLDING AND FEEDING ATTAOHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 334,752. Patented Jan. 26, 1886. x

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HENRY H. CUMMINGS, OF MADDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUTTON HOLDING AND FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,752, dated January26, 1886.-

Application filed April 3, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY H. CUMMINGS, of Malden, county of Middlesex,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Button Holdingand Feeding Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a button-holdingattachment adapted to hold a button above the material upon which it isto be secured, so as to be entered by the eye-pointed needle of anysuitable sewing-machine, the button holding and moving foot of theattachment also acting to feed or move the material, so that the needlepenetrates iu succession the holes of the button, whether the same hastwo or any usual number of holes.

In the present embodyment of my invention the button-holder is actuatedby or from the needle-bar and is so constructed, as will hereinafter bedescribed, as to be capable of having a substantially-universal movementimparted to it in any direction with relation to the needle-hole or,line of reciprocation of the needle-bar.

My invention consists in a button holding or feeding attachmentcomposed,essentially,of alever of the first order having its fulcrum ona pivoted arm, and provided at one end with a button-holding foot, thesaid lever at its other end having a rotating feed-collar provided withan opening from end to end,which is inclined with relation to the axisof rotation of the collar, a needle or other reciprocating bar enteringthe said feed-collar, and thereby vibrating the button-holding foot, aswill be described.

Figure 1, in front elevation, represents a sufficient portion of asewing-machine with my attachment applied to enable the construction andoperation thereof to be understood. Fig. 2 is a right-hand side view ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectionaldetail in the line a: m, Fig. 2, to show the pivoted fulcrum for thebuttonfeeding'lever, and the manner of connecting the same with thepresser-bar, the said figure showing the location of the needle-bar.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the upper end Serial No. 161,144. (Nomodel.)

of the said lever, the rotating collar therein, and part of thereciprocating bar for moving the collar and lever laterally. Fig. 6represents several diagrams, to show the different positions of thebutton. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the button-inserting device; Fig. 8, a

section thereofin the dotted line as. Fig. 9 is a top view of thebutton-holding foot and a section thereof.

The bed-plate A, overhanging arm B, needle-bar 0, means to reciprocateit,the needle 61,

and the presser-bar D and its spring D are supposed to be the same as inthe Wheeler & WVilson machine, style No. 10, and in practice theunder-thread carrier will be as in the said machine.

In accordance with my invention a lever, I), provided at its lower endwith a forked or other suitable-shaped button-holding foot, I), attachedto it in suitable manner, as by. a screw, b", is supported between itsends-by a pin or stud, b thus making of it a lever of the first order.The pin or stud b",which constitutes the fulcrum for the lever b,isextended loosely througha threaded sleeve, b, screwed into an arm, 0,which in turn has its fulcrum on a pin or stud, c herein shown asscrewed into a block or collar, 0 attached to the presser-bar D by ascrew, D. The arm 0, at its rear end, is provided with a threadedsleeve, 0, which receives the fulcrum pin or stud a loosely.

The connection described,between the lever 12 and arm 0, and between thelatter and the block or collar 0 is, it will be seen, such as to permitthe lever b and arm 0 to turn each on its own fulcrum or pivot, locatedat right angles to the other, thus furnishing a practicallyuniversally-moving joint or support for the lever 12, whereby it may beturned in such direction with relation to the line of movement of theneedle as to enable the button-holding foot to be moved in suchdirection with relation to the path of movement of the needle, as tocause the latter to enter first one and then the next hole in thebutton, as will be'described.

The sleeve b is screwed into the arm 0 and made adjustable therein, thecheck-nut 14 holding the said sleeve in adjusted position. The sleeve 0is held in adjusted position in the arm 0 by a check-nut, 12. By turningthe screw-th readed sleeves c I) out or in,the position of the lever bor its foot I) may be so adj usted with relation to the path of movementof the needle as to enable the holes in the button to be placed in theline of its reciprocation. The spring D", which surrounds and holds downthe presser-bar D, acts to retain the foot I) of the leverb down againstthe material m on the usual throat-plate and bed of the machine. Thelever bis enlarged at its upper end to form a yoke, b", which receivesthe rotating feed-collare, it being held loosely in the said yoke bymeans of a pin, 6', of a spring, 6 that enters an annular groove, 6, inthe said collar. This collar has a hole or passage made through it atone side of its center line, and the walls of the passage so made areinclined, as shown in Fig. 5, to form an inclined surface, 4, againstwhich may strike the upperend of a needle or other bar, 0, which isreciprocated in fixed bearings. As the upper end of the bar 0 strikesthe said inclined surface 4, the collar and the upper end of the leverwill be moved away from that side of the needle-bar next which theinclined surface 4 rests as the bar 0 rises, and consequently the lowerend of the lever and the foot, with the button held. by it and thematerial, will be moved in the opposite direction.

To change the direction of movement of the lever, it is necessary tochange the position of the collar with relation to the bar 0 as orbefore the latter enters the passage in the collar. To do this, thecollar is provided with four pins, 9, herein shown as located ninetydegrees apart, such location of the pins being necessary when thebuttons m to be attached to the material on have either two or fourholes, as shown in the drawings, for with such buttons the collar mustbe rotated either one hundred and eighty or ninety degrees at each step.The lever 12, near its upper end, has a projection, 12, provided with apin, b, that serves as the fulcrum for a lever, 0, having a toothedhead, 0, that engages a pawl-carrying block, 0,-provided with teeth 0the said block being moved back and forth on a guideway, o, screwed intothe upper end of the lever b. This pawl-carrying block has pivoted uponit two pawls, one of which (marked f) is a pushpawl, while the other(marked f) is a pullpawl, such construction enabling one to work at eachmovement of the pawl-carrier. If the button to be sewed has four holes,but one of the pawls will be retained in operationviz., the pawl f-theother pawl, f, being turned aside, as in fulllines, the pawl f at eachmovement toward the collar acting on one of the pins and on each pin insuccession, thus rotating the collar ninety degrees at each stroke, suchchange of position of the collar causing the foot to move in successionin the lines of a quadrangular figure, thus bringing the holes 1 2 3 4of the buttons under the needle in succession, and causing the saidbutton to assume the various positions illustrated by the left-handdiagram. If the button has but two holes, as in the right-hand diagram,Fig. 6, the pawlf will be thrown into operative position, as in dottedlines, and thereafter the collar will be moved for half a rotation, orfor one hundred and eighty degrees, during each full reciprocation ofthe pawl-carrying block, both pawls acting, and the movement of thebutton will be as in the right-hand diagram; and the needle will enterfirst one and then the other hole in succession, the stitch in thelatter case crossing the center of the button, which is not the casewith a four-holed button. i

To insure the movement of the upper end of the lever b in any desireddirection, it is only necessary to turn the feed-collar so that theinclined wall 4 shall point or incline down' ward in the same direction.

Movement of the upper end of the lever in one direction compels themovement of the button-holding foot in the opposite direction, thejoints described between it and the block 0 permitting the free and easymovement of the lever and foot in any desired direction.

The button-holding foot b has a central opening (see Fig. 9) ofsubstantially the same shape as the button to be attached, and leadingoutward therefrom is a straight slot, 8, narrower than the said opening.

To properly insert a button, m, into the central button-holding space ofthe foot V, I have provided a registering device composed of a flat bar,1), having two very short projections or points, 6, (shown in Fig. 8,)which are just long enough to catch into the holes of the buttons toposition them correctly with relation to the registering device, andaspring, p, to keep the button in place on the said projections. Thewidth of the registering device is substantially equal to that of theslot 8 in the foot I).

To apply a button to the foot, place the button in the registeringdevice, lift the foot slightly, and insert the registering device underit until the button occupies the circular space in the foot, then letthe foot down upon the button. In this position the operator willslightly lift the other end of the part 1) of the registering devicesufliciently to let the pins 6 slip out of the holes in the button m,and will then pull upon the registering device and draw it outlongitudinally, the walls of the presser-foot holding the button frommoving with the registering device.

The lever 0 derives its movement from the needle-bar by a link, 0connected with a block, 0, secured to the said bar.

I do not broadly claim the rotating feedcollar having the inclinedpassage through it, as such is old in the Bonnaz and otherembroidery-machines.

I have shown my improvements added to 2. Wheeler & Wilson form ofmachine; but I desire it to be understood that my invention IIO sensemay be applied to any of the well-known forms of sewing-machines.

I claim 1. A button holding and feeding device composed of a leverhaving an attached foot, a rotating collar provided with an openinginclined with relation to the center of the collar, and an arm uponwhich the said lever is pivoted, and a block or collar in which the saidarm is pivoted, the said parts being at right angles each to the other,thus constituting a universally-j ointed support for the said lever, tooperate substantially as described.

2. The presser bar, the lever I), provided with the attached buttonreceiving and holding foot, and rotating collar provided with theinclined passage, combined with the arm 0, to receive the fulcrum-studfor the said lever, and pivoted upon a block connected withthepresser-bar, and with the needle-bar to enter the collar and move thelever b, substantially as described.

3. The lever I), provided with the button receiving or holding foot I),stud b arm 0, and stud 0, combined with the two adjustable screwthreaded sleeves, arranged at right angles each to the other and fittedto the said studs, adjustment of the said sleeves enabling the button tobe placed in correct position under the needle, substantially asdescribed.

4. The lever I), provided at one end with the button receiving andholding foot and at its other end with the rotating toothed collarhaving the inclined passage formed through it, combined with theneedle-bar,and with means, substantially as described, between it andthe said collar to rotate the same intermittingly, as set forth.

5. The lever b, provided with the button receiving or holding foot, andthe rotating loose collar provided with the inclined opening and ratchetpins, and a pawl and pawlcarrier adapted to be moved by or from theneedlebar to rotate the said collar, combined with the pivoted arm tosupport the said lever, substantially as described.

6. The lever 12, provided with the button receiving or holding foot, andthe rotating collar 6, provided with, the inclined opening and withratchet-pins, and apawl-carrier provided with a push and with a pullpawl, and arm 0, to pivotally support the lever b, as described,combined with the needle-bar, and means, substantially as described,between it and the said pawl-carrier to actuate the latter, the upperend of the needle-bar entering the diagonal hole in the collar, as setforth.

7. The button-holding presser-foot, combined with the button-registeringdevice, constructed substantially asdescribed, it consisting of theshank provided with projections 6, and the connected spring, the shankand spring being of less width than the diameter of the button, theregistering device enabling the button to be presented to thepresserfoot in correct position to be entered by the needle of thesewing-machine, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence'of two subscribing witnesses. e

HENRY H. CUMMINGS.

Witn esscs:

GEo. W. GREGORY, B. J NoYEs.

